Eld's Deer (Cervus eldi) Research

Scientists at the CRC have been working with Eld's deer
for almost a decade. This species, once found throughout
southeast
Asia, only occupies a fraction of its original range. The majority
of this current range is in Myanmar (formerly Burma). Eld's deer
are
an endangered species, and it is estimated that only 1,500
can be found in the wild. The majority of these animals
can be
found in Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar. Research has
been conducted at Chatthin in order to establish baseline
biological
data for this species which has otherwise been undefined. Without
this baseline knowledge, it is impossible to make successful
management decisions.

Through extensive radio-tracking and other survey techniques
conducted by local wildlife staff, it has been observed that
eld's deer prefer dry dipterocarp forest. This forest type
occurs in dry areas of southeast asia below 1,000 meters elevation.
Unfortunately, these characteristics are also well suited
for agriculture. As the human population has increased in
the last century, most of the dry dipterocarp forest has been
converted to agricultural land. This rapid change in land
use has decimated the habitat available for eld's deer, and
is considered the largest threat to their survival.

Current research at the CRC is addressing the issue of habitat
loss through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
and Remote Sensing. Satellite images obtained from different
dates and different spatial scales are being analyzed in order
to determine the current extent of dry dipterocarp forest.
This analysis will provide insight into where unknown populations
of eld's deer may be found, as well as where future reintroduction
efforts may be successful.